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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. current — happening now
  3. current — electric
  4. bark — to shout
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. face — to point toward
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. rush — hurry
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. face — to confront
  15. current — of water
  16. cue — a hint
  17. face — part of the head
  18. cue — a signal
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. fan — a supporter

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com